So we didn't have transfers - but I have a new companion! Her name is Sister Li - she's from Hong Kong just like Sister Lau. There was some misunderstanding between Sister Lau and a recent convert in my ward so she was transferred to San Francisco. But things are going well! It's been crazy with moving Sister Li in and getting everything organized with very little time, but it was another great week - like always :)
I'll just give a little update on everybody:
Noelle - Noelle's doing pretty good. We saw her on Monday for a lesson that was really awkward - we taught her about eternal marriage and the law of chastity with a nonmember friend - a guy - in the room. It was mega awkward - but I think she listened. What made it worse is that I knew a few things about this guy and I knew he wasn't treating her right so I didn't really want him there. But she's figured it out and he's no longer in her life - I can't wait until she goes to Utah. She needs to get out of the California scene. We're working on finding her a place to stay while she takes her finals in May since her mom is essentially kicking her out and then she'll go to Utah after school's over. The ward loves her so much and is so willing to help her.
Joseph - We taught Joseph on Monday but we may have offended him. We can hardly get a word in when we're talking with him so Sister Lau essentially asked him to stop talking so we could teach. I don't think he took it too well since we haven't been able to get in touch with him since. I'm just hoping and praying we'll get another chance to teach him. My uncle offered the idea that we could give him the pamphlets to read and then have him teach us in order to help him learn and I'm hoping we get the opportunity to try that because he was SO GOLDEN. He even watched General Conference on his own and he believes that the Book of Mormon is true. So......we'll see.
Jackie - When we showed up for our lesson with Jackie on Wednesday, there was a note on the door from her mom that said she was in the hospital. We have no idea if she's out - we've tried calling multiple times and we're stopping by today. I just want her to allow the Atonement of Jesus Christ to heal her - but people have their agency. That might be the hardest part of being a missionary - knowing exactly what someone can do to be happy but watching them choose not to do it.
Barbara - We had dinner with her this week but she cancelled our lesson because she went out of town with her husband. She was feeling sick so she didn't come to church this week either, but she's still doing alright. She made us homemade pizza - we love her food. But we love her more.
Valerie - Valerie is still doing well health-wise and said she would come to church yesterday......but she didn't. Unfortunately. We talked about Quentin L. Cook's talk from General Conference when we were there last week about the personal peace that comes through the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I didn't hear about the Boston Marathon incident until Wednesday last week but we talked a little bit about that. We'll never find universal peace because not all people will choose God and His commandments, but we can find personal peace as WE choose to follow God's commandments.
Sidenote about this: I've thought about this a lot this week. The Book of Mormon repeatedly says, "And he hath said that: Inasmuch as ye shall keep my commandments ye shall prosper in the land; but inasmuch as ye will not keep my commandments ye shall be cut off from my presence" (2 Ne 4:4), talking SPECIFICALLY of this land, America. As our country declines in religiosity and disregards the commandments of God, we're seeing more and more destruction through natural disasters, financial adversities, and threats from others. It's a huge motivation for me as a missionary to help people understand and live the commandments of God to bring just a little more peace into the world.
There's a scripture in Alma that illustrates my feelings about this (Alma 29:1-2):
O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
That's why I am a missionary. I know that the gospel can relieve the sorrow and guilt we feel from our sin and can help us deal with all the personal challenges we face in life as we follow God's commandments.
Anyways, back to the report.
Chris - Chris is doing SO WELL. We're setting a baptism date with her tomorrow! She wants to learn, she does everything we ask, she LOVES church, she asks great questions, she understands everything, and she really wants to make changes and act in faith. We should see her twice this week and hopefully she'll be baptized next month!
The Garrison Family - We had another FHE with them. The dad taught the lesson about cleanliness and it was really good! They're all going to the temple THIS SATURDAY to do baptisms so we're super excited for that. Sister Ure will be there! She's been waiting for this day for a long time, and she'll get it one week before she goes home! She'll for sure be back for their sealing at the end of the year, and I should be allowed to go too :)
Dan - This is my first time seeing Dan since I've been back to Castro Valley. Sister Ure and I taught him a couple of times when we were here because he's the dad of our recent convert/less active Matt so we stopped by multiple times and ended up deciding to teach him! He's a strong Catholic and is curious but not necessarily looking to change. We had a lesson fall through on Saturday so we thought we'd swing by to see Matt and Dan was home so we talked to him. Noelle came a long and shared a little about her conversion story because she was raised Catholic. He likes to talk - a lot - but we were able to say a few things that peaked his interest. He's not sure if he believes what we said, but he's giving it a chance. We're going to see him this week and FINALLY teach the first lesson - this will be his fourth formal lessons with missionaries. It's gonna be fun!
Gerry - After a few weeks, we were finally able to see Gerry. His date is still on, but he has no desire to be baptized at this time. We just asked a lot of questions to see where he's at, and he acknowledged that the Book of Mormon has made him a stronger Christian but doesn't believe this is the only true church still. His wife really wants him to understand and I want it for him too! He's gotten his answer, but he hasn't recognized it. We were talking and he said, "I think I'm doing good" and Elizabeth asked him, "But what can you do to be BETTER?" None of us expected that question. But he's come to our church - not mass - for two weeks in a row so he's slowly improving. He may not be ready by May 11th but it can definitely happen this month. Sister Li and I are working to have enough faith in him that he'll do everything he can to receive and recognize his answer. So - still just waiting.
The VC was good this week - I gave a Spanish tour all by myself and the investigator had a nervous breakdown during the movie and had to leave. I hope I didn't say something wrong. Usually the VC is such a solid spiritual experience - I hope she's doing ok. We also had a lot of people who recently returned to activity. A couple of them were with missionaries and an investigator and their testimonies were so solid. I thought it was interesting that they both said "I didn't realize that I wasn't happy" while they were inactive. I think there are a lot of people like that out there - so don't give up on those people. Help them feel the joy that you have when you're with them so that they can recognize their unhappiness and find happiness again.
Not much else to say - we were at the VC almost everyday this week except Sunday and then we had church all day so we didn't get much time Sunday either. We have some great investigators but we need more so Sister Li and I are going to work really hard to find more people to teach. It's been strange readjusting with only two weeks left in the transfer but hopefully we'll both stay here for longer!
Have a great week!
Hermana Hunsaker
